My family has loved doing advent devotionals for years, so I decided to write my own. I pray it blesses your family as much as it’s blessed mine.

You can purchase the whole book in print or in an ebook format on Amazon. You can download a printable set of ornaments here or draw or make your own!

Day 14: Prophecy of a Shoot from the Stump of Jesse 

Picture / Ornament: Stump with a Fresh Shoot 

Scripture: Isaiah 11:1-5, 10; 1 Samuel 16:1-13; Revelation 5:1-6 

Song: Is He Worthy? 

Another Song: Righteous Branch

Do you know what will happen tomorrow? I mean, do you really know what will happen?  

The weather forecaster can predict rain, but he might be wrong. You might expect to go to school tomorrow, but you might wake up sick. Your mom might think she will go grocery shopping tomorrow, but your car might break down. 

There is one, though, who is completely sure of what will happen tomorrow, God.  

God knows for sure what will happen tomorrow … and next year … and a hundred years from now. God knows everything! God knows what you ate for breakfast this morning and God knows what you will eat for breakfast tomorrow. 

In times past, God sent His chosen servants to prophecy what will happen in the future. One of those prophets was named Isaiah. Isaiah prophesied in the land of Judah in the years shortly before King Josiah became king. God gave Isaiah wisdom about things to come hundreds of years in the future.  

One of Isaiah’s prophesies was that a shoot would grow from the stump of Jesse. Jesse was the father of King David, the ancestor of Jesus Christ, our Savior. Isaiah was right in his prophecies because God knows the future! In the next few days, we are going to be learning about more prophecies that Isaiah gave. Many of these prophecies were fulfilled when Jesus came to earth.  

God also gave the apostle John divine wisdom to see things that were to come. The apostle John lived at the same time as Jesus. John wrote the heavenly visions that God gave him in the book called Revelations. John saw a vision of a Lamb in heaven, the only one who is worthy, the one who has conquered, one who is the Lion of the tribe of Judah and the Root of David. (Revelation 5:5-6). That is Jesus, our perfect Savior, who conquered sin and death, who has defeated Satan, who is from the line of Judah, who is both the root of David and the shoot of Jesse. 

“Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.” (Hebrews 1:1-2 ESV) 

Today is a perfect day to thank God for sending prophets in the past to speak to us and for sending His Son, from the stump of the Jesse and the root of David. 

Remember … Christmas is all about Jesus!